More detail on this person: James H. West
made his Last Flight on 12 September 2014 in
Renton, WA at the age of 82. James was born in
Eureka, CA on 5 October 1931. He moved to
Portland, OR in 1941; graduated from Ulysses S.
Grant High School in 1949. In 1953 he graduated
from Lewis and Clark College with a Bachelor of
Science degree. He then entered the United States
Air Force Aviation Cadet Program graduating
December 1954 as a Second Lieutenant Navigator
and Aircraft Performance Engineer at Mather AFB,
CA. On 26 December 1954 he married his college
love, Helen E. Doig. He earned his Observer Wings
in June 1955 and was assigned as an instructor in
Engineering. His oldest daughter Denise Cathleen
was born in Sacramento, CA June 1958. He earned
his Pilot Wings in September 1959 at Reese AFB,
TX. Jim's first pilot assignment was 55th Weather
Recon Sq., McClellan AFB, CA, followed by a
3-year tour in Japan flying KB-50J's. His youngest
daughter Janine Lucretia was made in Japan
September 1962. The family returned to
Sacramento in 1963, assigned to 552nd AEW&C
Wing. A tour in SEA 1967-68 with the 20th
Helicopter Sq., Pony Express. Command tour with
the Aerospace Defense Command, Inspector
Generals Office, Colorado Springs, CO, followed by
return to 552nd as Squadron Commander 964th,
then the 963rd Sq. In 1975 he was assigned as
Base Commander Sonderstrom AB, Greenland for
fourteen months followed by a tour at Homestead
AFB, FL with the last of the EC-121 Warning Star
aircraft. He was then assigned to Tinker AFB, OK
as Commander of the NORAD contingent with the
552nd AWACS Wing (TAC). He retired as a Colonel
from Tyndall AFB, FL, 1 February 1984 with over
thirty years service. Colonel West was a Command
Pilot with over 6,000 hours of flying time. During
his career he was awarded over 40 awards and
decorations. Among his top honors were the
Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit,
Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service
Medal W/3 OLC, Air Medal W/2 OLC, and Air Force
Commendation Medal. He was a graduate of
Squadron Officer School and Industrial College of
the Armed Forces. He joined The Boeing Company
as a Human Factors Engineering Analyst with the
707 and 767 AWACS Programs, retiring in July as
part of the Class of '95. Jim was a life member of
The Daedalians, Air Force Association, Air Force
Sergeants Association, American Legion, Air Force
Helicopter Pilots Association, and The Museum of
Flight where he was active as a Docent and a
member of the Eagle Heritage Society. He is
survived by his wife of 59 plus years, Helen,
their daughters Denise (Brad) Mower of Bellevue,
WA and Janine Lucretia West, Wilsonville, OR.
Published in The Seattle Times on Oct. 19, 2014
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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